Heaven On Earth
by sherlockisintheTARDIS
Summary: The only home Sean has ever known is Vorgon, the tiny island town in Ireland that he lives in with his family. The town doesn't seem like much, but for him, it is heaven on earth. Then the war begins, and Sean loses everything he holds dear. He is thrust into the journey to find his family, and, possibly, to recover his heaven on earth.
1. Chapter 1

"Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its Heaven on Earth." - Mark Twain

A note from the author:

What is heaven? There are so many who have never known it. There is only hardship. So much pain. Maybe it's a coincidence, but our story starts with heaven, and it ends with heaven. Follow me, and I will take you back to that time.

*PART 1*

RAVEN'S COURT

Actually, heaven on earth started- at least for our story- in a place where you wouldn't think it likely. Raven's Court was the darkest, dankest, most dismal street on the outskirts of the town of Vorgon; seventeen tiny, run-down shacks on either side of a narrow, dirty-cobbled lane. Vorgon did not seem to apply to the weather conditions of the rest of Ireland; the sky was ever grey, the rain that poured from it dreadfully consistent.

I believe that the inhabitants of the tiny tailor shop at the end of Raven's Court were the only ones who felt it was heaven. The family that lived over the shop consisted of Mama, Papa, Katie, and Sean.

See that little girl, coming out of the shop at the end of the street? Hunched over and running for her life from the rain? She loves every second of it. A slightly older boy dashes out close behind her, pulling the door of the tailor shop closed with a tight _thunk _and turning to race her to the end of the block, the wind whipping his fair hair out of his face, the rain cold on his neck as he runs. The mud and rain water splash up his legs and soak through his trousers, and the wind is nearly strong enough to knock to knock him over, but he runs all the faster for it.

They're laughing, soaking, and slipping on the wet cobbles when they arrive at their destination, a small, derelict shop halfway down the lane. The sign swinging wildly in the buffeting wind over the shop is barely readable; you can just make out the faded words BUTCHER in the half-light of the rain.

A large, beefy, man owns the shop (it is a funny thing that a man running a butcher's shop should be beefy, but this one is. Nasty, as well, with a bit of a temper.) His name is Jiff Murphy.

Jiff Murphy doesn't like children, and he _really_ doesn't like soaking wet children that are covered from knee down in mud. He makes a best effort to glare at Sean as the boy stomps his mud-spattered work boots out on the filthy, threadbare carpet, but both siblings come here so often that they are used to it. The door closes behind them with a bang, making the candles and solitary fire in the shop gutter dangerously- Jiff Murphy narrows his eyebrows in such a glare that you can barely see his small, piggy eyes- and cutting off the howling wind and freezing rain, but the respite is temporary.

Sean smiles politely and asks for two pounds of beef. He receives them wrapped in thin paper and pays 7 pence, and then they tuck the food under their shirts so they don't get it wet and hurry from the shop.

Their next destination is gratifyingly friendlier than the butcher's shop. They open the door of the bakery and step inside, breathing in deep the smell of freshly baked bread. Hennery Moore, the baker, chats politely to Katie about "the family" as Sean greets his best friend Colon. They pay 5 pence for a loaf of bread and thank Hennery, and leave the shop.

Their last stop is the dairy store. The woman who owns it is named Lisle Connolly. She's a grumpy, grey-haired old lady, and she doesn't like _anyone_, especially not those pesky O'Reilly children who come clomping in once a week. Her shop is still Katie and Sean's favourite, though, because it's right next to the Tree. From the top of the Tree, you can see _anything_. They ask for a pound of cheese and a jug of goat milk, and then pay for the purchase and head out the door.

The Tree looms ahead, branches rearing majestically into the dark-grey sky. It is the tallest thing in their village, even taller than the church, and it is an object of awe to most of the children. It is also probably older than anyone in the town, or their grandparents, or their grandparents' grandparents.

It's Sean, who suggests climbing it, but he doesn't need to; it's a routine. They hoist themselves up onto the lower branches easily, shimmy on to the higher spots, and duck under the dry foliage, staring out at the rain-stricken town of Vorgon. Sean insists he can see the Islands, (far past the coastline that they are close to) but that's what he always says.

They drop down from the Tree after a moment or two, after examining the town and seeing if anything has changed –it hasn't, it never really does -and continue down the road, arguing about whether he really _can_ see those islands. It's the usual argument they have every day, and it stops quickly when they reach their shop at the end of the road, with the brightly painted white door, so different from all the neglected shop fronts, and the sign over-head that says TAILOR in large, neat letters.

They slip through the door with a tinkling of an overhead bell, dry and wipe the mud off their shoes as best as they can on an old ragged mat at the foot of the door, and walk past the tailoring room into their small kitchen. Mama is just finishing with a customer, so they deposit the goods quietly on the table. Papa comes over and asks the usual question, his gray eyes twinkling.

"Still raining?"

Sean smiles as they chorus the usual answer. "Yes, Papa." Mama comes bustling in to check the contents of the food.

"Connolly was the same? No smiles, I hope?" Mama asks teasingly.

Katie giggles. "No, Mama." Sean wonders fleetingly if Lisle Connolly has ever smiled.

Mama laughs as well. "Good job. Now go and wash up for supper." They hurry off to the ladder leading up-stairs. The top floor consists of two bedrooms, each with a fireplace, and a small bathroom with a tub and a washbasin. Mama has gotten water for the baths ready, heated over the fire.

Sean bathes first, scrubbing the grime off his arms and legs and turning the bar of soap and the bath water a murky grey. Katie makes a face as she slips into the water and washes herself.

As she bathes, Sean goes to the bedroom that they share and pulls on a clean shirt and trousers, his old clothes being muddy and soaked. Katie finishes her bath and gets dressed in clean clothes as well, and then they both hurry down the ladder to the main floor. The dinner is on the table; pork and bread and potatoes with milk to drink.

The family talks and jokes about the neighbours, managing throughout the meal to draw at least five laughs from Katie, light and happy. When the meal is over, Sean and Katie help Mama wash the dishes and put them away, and then they stumble sleepily upstairs, tug on pyjamas, and fall into bed.

Mama walks into the room and sits on the rocking chair in the corner.

"What song would like tonight?" She asks, even though she knows the answer.

"Give me your hand!" It's their favourite song, sung nearly every night by Mama. Mama begins, her voice deep and rich in the twilight of the room.

"Just give me your hand

Tabhair dom do lámh.

Just give me your hand

And I'll walk with you,

Through the streets of our land,

Through the mountains so grand,

If you give me your hand,

Just give me your hand,

And come along with me.

Will you give me your hand,

And the world it can see,

That we can be free,

In peace and harmony

From the north to the south,

From the east to the west,

Every mountain, every valley,

Every bush and birds nest!

By day and night,

Through all struggle and strife,

And beside you, to guide you,

Forever, my love,

For love's not for one,

But for both of us to share,

For our country so fair,

For our world and what's there.

Just give me your hand,

Tabhair dom do lámh.

Just give me your hand,

For the world it is ours.

All the sea and the land,

To destroy or command,

If you give me your hand,

Just give me your hand,

In a gesture of peace,

Will you give me your hand

And all troubles will cease,

For the strong and the weak,

For the rich and the poor,

All peoples and creeds,

Let's meet their needs.

With a passion, we can fashion,

A new world of love!

By day and night,

Through all struggle and strife,

And beside you, to guide you,

Forever, my love,

For love's not for one,

But for both of us to share,

For our country so fair,

For our world and what's there."

Mama finishes singing. Katie and Sean are both laying in bed, relaxed, their eyes closed peacefully. She gets up. As she kisses both of them on the forehead, blows out the candle, and leaves, two "Good night, Mama's" catch her closing the door. She turns and smiles.

"Good night," she says, and then quietly closes the door to let the firelight cast a last glance over the children's faces before they slide happily into sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Sean is woken early next morning by Katie, who shakes him awake.

"Mama says to get up, and quickly!" she cries. "'Tis Market Day today!" Sean sits up blearily. He has almost forgotten about Market Day.

It comes on the first Saturday of every month, and you can get the best things there. Potatoes, cabbage, carrots, and tomatoes, exotic cheese, honey- which is hard to come by-, fresh, juicy steaks and meat, chocolate and candy; anything you want. You would eat well for at least two or three weeks after.

Sean climbs out of bed and stumbles blearily over to his clothes chest. He fumbles through it and finally pulls out his cleanest shirt, his least-patched trousers and stockings, and his old boots, with as much mud as possible brushed off. He also takes out a small pouch of coins; pocket money he has been saving for this occasion. He has enough to buy some candy, at least, and maybe something for Katie, as she doesn't have an allowance yet.

He combs his hair until it lies flat on his head, all the sleep brushed out. Then he scrubs his face quickly in the washbasin and hurries downstairs to prepare for the journey into town.

Mama, Papa, and Katie are up and wide-awake, rushing around the kitchen preparing quickly. They are all dressed in their best clothes as well; Mama in one of her nicest dresses with her dark hair tied up in a respectable bun, Katie in a pretty green dress to match her eyes, and Papa, neatly shaved and dressed in his best trousers and whitest shirt.

They finish off the bread with some cheese, and then the family looks around the house one last time, just to make sure they haven't forgotten anything, hurries out the door, turns the sign to CLOSED, and sets off for town.

They plod down Raven's Court, and halfway down they meet up with Colon and Hennery Moore, who are off to the market as well. The market is held in the centre of town, and it take quite a while to walk there; as towns go, Vorgon is pretty big, and Raven's Court is position on the very edge, right next to the sea.

The moment they get there, Colon pulls Sean and Katie off to the display of sweets.

"Wow," he murmurs, his eyes travelling up and up and up the shelves, growing wider every second. "I swear they didn't have this much last month! There's more candy here than I've ever seen in my life!"

Sean has to agree. "What are you going to get, then?" he asks Colon.

"I... I dunno," says Colon, looking rather besieged by the amount of confection facing him.

Sean turns to Katie. "How about you? What do you want?"

"I don't have any money," Katie reminds him.

Sean grins slyly. "Alright, but if you did, what would you get?"

"Er... I suppose, a chocolate bar," says Katie, thinking hard. "One of those ones with toffee."

"Right, then," says Sean, turning to the man at the stand. "Can I have two chocolate bars with toffee, please?"

"That'll be two pence," the man grunts, and Sean reaches into his money bag and hands over two pence.

"Thank you," he says when he receives the chocolate, and hands one of the bars to Katie. Her eyes grow bigger than Colon's.

"Wow! Oh Sean, you didn't have to, really... Thank you so much!" She wraps Sean in a huge hug, and he laughs.

"No problem, Kate." He turns to Colon, who still looks quite overwhelmed.

"Decided yet?" he grins.

"No," Colon replies miserably.

They had gotten home from the market late last night. It is now mid-morning. When Sean wakes he stares at the ceiling, listening to the rain pound down on the shingled roof. 'Rain again,' he thinks gloomily. He glances over at Katie's bed. It's empty; she must be downstairs already.

He climbs out of the warmth of his blankets and walks over to his clothes chest, and pulls on a pair of old trousers and a shirt and socks and boots. Then he hurries down the ladder to the kitchen and seats himself at the table. Mama gives him a plate of toast and tomatoes and bacon, which he begins on heartily.

"_You_ were up late." Katie sounds accusing.

Sean glances up. "Yeah... What time is it?" He asks Papa.

"Half past 11," Papa replies with a smile.

"What?" Screeches Sean incredulously. Papa laughs, knowing how much missing half of the day can mean to a ten year old boy.

Colon knocks on the door a few minutes after Sean has finished breakfast and washed up. At the moment it is barely drizzling, a rare experience for Vorgon, so when he asks if Sean and Katie can come out to play football with some of the other neighbourhood children, they gladly agree. The game is staged at the end of Raven's Court, right next to the tailor's shop. The ball hits the side of the shop a few times, but Mama and Papa seem not to notice, or at least pretend not to.

The game is cut short by a wild clap of thunder and lightning in the sky, and then buckets of rain pouring from the heavens, so everyone decides it's best to go inside and wait out the rain. Unfortunately, in Vorgon, there is no such thing as waiting out the rain. Or, if there is, you would have to wait a very, _very _long time.

When Sean and Katie get inside, Mama hangs their wet clothes over the stove and they are left to sit steaming in their underclothes by the fire. Because of the rain the business day isn't too good, so Sean and Katie curl up the threadbare carpet as Papa tells a story.

For dinner there is bread, potatoes, beef, and cabbage. For the first time in a while, Sean is stuffed full when he climbs the ladder to wash up.

"Much more of this and we'll burst," Papa is heard joking to Mama, but Sean knows he is glad. He washes his hands and face and is just climbing into bed, already sleepy from the warmth of the fire and the weight of the food, when there is a knock at the front door.

Sean slides out of bed and tiptoes to the ladder just in time to see Papa walk outside and close the door behind him. A few moments later, he comes back in, worry etched on his face. He and Mama sit down by the fire and begin to talk, in low tones.

Mama and Papa climb the ladder a few moments later when both Katie and Sean are in bed. Mama sits in the rocking chair, moving it closer to the fire.

"Papa and I have something to tell you," she says, her voice troubled. Sean notes the tone and pushes himself up onto his elbows, all signs of sleep gone.

"We've just received news that Ireland and Great Britain are at war with Germany." Sean stomach lurches. His mouth goes dry. He has only heard of War in stories that Papa tells, and in all of them it sounds awful.

Katie frowns. "Where's Germany?" Despite himself, Sean smiles. Trust Katie.

Mama half-smiles as well. "To the east."

"Oh... why are we fighting?"

"We are all fighting for power over each other," Papa answers. Sean, who doesn't understand politics in the least (and doesn't want to, either), thinks this is a pretty stupid reason for a whole war to start. There is a pause while the information all sinks in. Then Katie's voice, scared: "What's going to happen?"

"Nothing, we hope. We hope that the war won't come as far as the coast. If it does, though, there is a big city to the north we can go to. We'll be safe there, until the whole thing ends. The war shouldn't be long, it looks as if Britain's been planning and negotiating this for a while. We have quite a strong militia, so there's no reason to worry. And we doubt it will come this far anyway."

Papa's voice is comforting, and worry vanishes from Sean's mind. Mama and Papa would protect them.

"You're going to be ok," says Papa calmingly, sitting down on Katie's bed; Katie still looks very worried. She smiles anxiously and yawns.

"Oh, you must be tired. Do you want a song to sleep?" asks Mama from the rocking chair. Katie and Sean both nod sleepily.

"Give me your hand?" She asks. They both nod again. Mama begins. Sean closes his eyes and snuggles deep into the warmth of his bed. Lulled by the familiar sound of the soft rain and Mama's voice, Sean drifts off to sleep.

For the next few days, the news of the war is the last thing on Sean's mind. It rains harder than ever as summer makes its full appearance, and most days are spent making sure nothing drowns in the hammering rain. Sean and Katie spend the first day of the storms rescuing a stubborn trash bin from floating down the street, until finally they take it into the house to dry.

One night in early August, Sean is lying in bed thinking about the war. He looks at Katie, who is lying in her bed, staring up at the ceiling. She is probably thinking about the same things, but neither of them says anything. Sean is worried; he knows war is awful and it can't be stopped. He knows people die in war, and get hurt.

He knows Mama and Papa will protect them, just like they said, but he doesn't know if this knowledge is enough. Mama comes into the room a few minutes later and sits in the rocking chair as always. As she sings them to sleep, Sean notices that there is no soft pattering of rain on the roof, as there usually is. It is all quiet. Sean drifts off to sleep, thinking that it is a bit of an un-restful quiet, and he would rather have preferred rain.

An explosion shakes Sean awake. He shoots up and out of bed. A cacophony of noise is coming from the window, so he races over to look down onto the street. What he sees out the window makes his blood run cold. The whole town, as far as he can see, is being bombed by aeroplanes that loom out of the sky, huge and dark. The black marks on their sides are awful, sinister. Houses are caved in, cobbles smashed by the force of some of the bombs.

Sean tears himself away from the window, heart pounding, brain whirring. He races over to Katie's bed.

She is already awake, sitting up groggily in bed. "What's going on?"

"We have to get out of here there's people bombing us! You go wait downstairs, I'll get Mama and Papa." Sean doesn't know if she'd heard everything he said, but the word "bombing" is enough to get her out of bed.

They run down the hall together, and then Katie slides down the ladder, leaving Sean to burst in to Mama and Papa's room, screaming "Planes! They're bombing us!"

Not more than a minute later, they are all assembled down-stairs. "Head for the harbour," is all Papa has time to say, and then they race out of the house. Sean slips on loose cobbles as he tears down the road, following Papa.

The crowd in the streets gets bigger and bigger with every step, and Sean has to run faster and faster to keep Papa's white shirt and brown work boots in sight. The world shakes and vibrates under his feet as he runs, new explosions tearing the ground apart every minute. Finally, he reaches the harbour.

Sean looks around for Mama and Katie, and spots them through the crowd. He starts to head back towards them, but suddenly an enormous explosion sounds right next to him. The dock gives way under his feet with a cracking sound, and he is sucked into the darkness beneath.


End file.
